Apparatus And Method For Reducing The Section And Sizing Of Rolling Mill Products For Wire Rod

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for reducing the section and sizing of rolling mill products for wire rod comprises a first finishing monoblock ( 10 ) made up of a plurality of rolling stands (G 1 -Gn) arranged in sequence suitable for forming a rolling line and a second monoblock ( 20 ) suitable for giving the product a round section with narrow tolerances. According to the invention, said second monoblock ( 20 ) comprises a sequence of stands (S 1 -S 4 ) of the type with grooves configured so as to give a round-oval-round-round section to the product.

The present invention refers to an apparatus and method for reducing the section and sizing of rolling mill products for wire rod.

In a rolling plant or rolling mill for wire rods, according to well-established technology, one operates on a billet previously taken to a higher temperature than the recrystallisation temperature to then subject it to rolling so as to gradually reduce its section up to the desired section.

In the rolling mill, one of the critical operations therefore consists of the finishing carried out through a plurality of rolling stands, said plurality reducing the size of the billet producing the wire rod to be sent to the sizing monoblock or directly to the laying head.

Currently, rolling mills for producing wire rod are constructed in different ways.

They can comprise a monoblock group with 6-8-10 rolling stands controlled by a single motor, with a succession of oval-round reductions followed a certain distance behind by a second group of monoblock stands that can be formed from a group of four stands with oval-round-round-round reduction sequence.

A rolling mill of this type forms the object of European patent no. 0 512 735 to Morgan.

Another type of known rolling mill foresees a monoblock group with 6-8-10 rolling stands as above followed by two groups of stands each formed from two stands with oval-round reduction sequence in the first group and oval-round in the second group.

Each group is controlled by a motor.

Since one problem of production is linked to the large number of formed products, i.e. of the required diameters, it is necessary to make the rolling mill flexible so as to be able to carry out quick changes in equipment and in rolling rings.

The reduction sequences, in the first and in the second monoblock, are carried out according to a prior art that allows the changes in the first monoblock to be minimised and the entire range of foreseen diameters, which normally range from a diameter of 5.5 mm to maximum diameters of 18-22 mm, to be finished in the second monoblock.

A particularly disadvantageous condition in plants of this type consists of the fact that the synchronisation between the output speed of the rolled product from the first monoblock and the input speed into the second group of stands (monoblock) is extremely difficult for which reason the speed of the second monoblock tends to be adjusted with a slightly greater speed than the output speed of the first monoblock so that the material between the two groups is always in slight pull.

The value of the speed difference must be such as to contain within its range all normal variations, even if small, in readjustment of speeds, which occur each time a load is taken relative to the succession of billets being rolled.

The consequence of what has been outlined above causes a substantial variation in the section of the rolled product between the first monoblock and the second monoblock.

The variation in section indicated above, which occurs along the entire billet, reaches its maximum at the start and end of the billet, where there is no pull.

Moreover, already inside the first monoblock there are pulls between the stands such as to generate substantial variations in section already in output from it.

The aforementioned variations in section between the two monoblocks are the cause of substantial problems in the second monoblock since they greatly reduce the lifetime of the rolling guides, they produce large variations in filling of the oval groove and consequently large variations in roundness in the subsequent grooves if they have large evasions with extension beyond the edge if the grooves cover the full 360°.

The substantial variations in section in the initial portion of the rolled product, as stated above, determine an increase in the entry angle to the second monoblock both for the round section that enters into the oval, and for the subsequent section that enters the finishing round stock. Said large entry angles are the cause of frequent cobbles.

It is also known to men skilled in the art that a sections with errors in roundness is unstable since it tends to rotate and be arranged according to the minimum height to which the minimum rolling pressure corresponds.

The general purpose of the present invention is, therefore, that of providing an apparatus and method suitable for allowing the solution of the problems outlined above with the aim at obtaining a rolled product with narrow tolerances and with greater reliability of operation.

In view of the aforementioned purposes, according to the present invention, it has been thought to make an apparatus and a method having the characteristics outlined in the subsequent claims.

The morphological and functional characteristics of the present invention as well as its advantages compared to the prior art shall become clearer from an examination of the following description, referring to the attached FIGURE that schematically illustrates the sections of the product in the passage in each of the rolling stands of the apparatus.

With reference to the FIGURE, the apparatus for reducing the section and sizing of rolling mill products for wire rod, object of the present invention, comprises: rolling of a first monoblock 10 consisting of a sequence of rolling stands in a variable number (G1-Gn) where the last stands Gm-Gn have the round grooves with oval-round sequence with large evasions to minimise the risks of overfill beyond the edge of the initial and end part of the rolled round stock from each billet and to make the distribution of the spread more uniform.

A second monoblock 20, arranged a suitable distance d from the first monoblock 10 such as to allow the cooling of the product coming out from said monoblock 10 at a predetermined temperature and sufficiently equalised in section, consisting of:

-   -   at least one first stand S1 equipped with suitable rolling         guide, with a round groove so as to reduce the variations in         section arriving into the output section, also making it easier         to bite the rolled product as a consequence of the small biong         angle.

Such at least one stand S1, at the start of the second monoblock, has a round groove with suitable evasions to make it easier to bite the round stock with increased size at the end caused by the pulling of the rolled material inside the first monoblock 10.

-   -   a second subsequent stand S2 with oval groove such as to         generate an oval, of constant width and thickness along the         entire rod.     -   a third subsequent stand S3 with round groove that produces a         finished round stock on the height of the profile.     -   a fourth stand S4 follows the third stand S3 and has rolling         ring R4 rotated by 90° with respect to the corresponding rolling         ring R3 of the third stand S3.

Such rollers are equipped with the same groove as those of said third stand S3.

In the fourth stand S4, it is foreseen to eliminate the variation in width of the round stock coming out from the previous stand and to thus obtain a product with narrow tolerances.

The method for making a wire rod according to the present invention comprises the following steps:

-   a) feeding the product to be rolled to a first finishing monoblock     comprising a number of rolled stands (G1-Gn) selected according to     the rolled diameter and having a number of last stands (Gm-Gn) with     grooves with large evasions to minimise the risks of extension     beyond the edge of the initial and end part of the round stock from     each billet and to make the distribution of the spread more uniform; -   b) feeding the product coming out from the first monoblock into a     second monoblock 20, arranged a suitable distance (d) from said     first monoblock 10 so as to allow the rolling of the product in the     second monoblock at a predetermined temperature, feeding the product     into a sequence of round-oval-round-round stands, foreseen in said     second monoblock 20. 

1. Apparatus for reducing the section and sizing of rolling mill products for wire rod of the type comprising a first finishing monoblock (10) made up of a plurality of rolling stands (G1-Gn) arranged in sequence suitable for forming a rolling line and a second monoblock (20) suitable for giving the product a round section with narrow tolerances, characterised in that said second monoblock (20) comprises a sequence of stands (S1-S4) of the type with grooves configured so as to give a round-oval-round-round section to the product.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that said second monoblock (20) is arranged a suitable distance from said first monoblock (10) so as to allow the rolling of the product in the second monoblock at a predetermined temperature.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that said second monoblock (20) has at least one first stand (S1) equipped with suitable rolling guide, with a round groove such as to generate a round stock with negligible variations in section along the entire rod.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterised in that said at least one stand (S1) at the start of the second monoblock (20) has a round groove with suitable evasions to make it easier to bite the round stock with increased size at the end caused by the pulling of the rolled material inside the first monoblock (10).
 5. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterised in that said second monoblock has a second subsequent stand (S2) with oval groove such as to generate an oval with variations in width and constant thickness along the entire rod.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterised in that said second monoblock (20) has a third subsequent stand (S3) with round groove such as to generate a finished round stock on the height of the profile.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterised in that said second monoblock (20) has a fourth subsequent stand (S4) having rolling rolls (R4) rotated by 90° with respect to the corresponding rolling rolls (R3) of the third stand (S3).
 8. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterised in that said fourth stand (S4) is foreseen to eliminate the variation in width of the round stock coming out from the third stand and to thus obtain a product with narrow tolerances along the entire rod.
 9. Method for reducing the section and sizing of rolling mill products for wire rod, characterised in that it comprises the following steps: a) feeding the product to be rolled to a first finishing monoblock (10) comprising a number of rolling stands (G1-Gn) selected according to the rolled diameter and having a number of last stands (Gm-Gn) with grooves with large evasions to minimise the risks of overfill beyond the edge of the initial and end part of the rolled round stock from each billet and to make the distribution of the spread more uniform; b) feeding the product coming out from the first monoblock (10) to a second monoblock (20), arranged a suitable distance (d) from said first monoblock (10) so as to allow the rolling of the product in the second monoblock at a predetermined temperature, feeding said product into a sequence of round-oval-round-round stands, foreseen in said second monoblock (20).
 10. Method for reducing the section and sizing of rolling mill products for wire rod according to claim 9, characterised in that it foresees a step of feeding the product to a first stand (S1) equipped with special rolling guide with round groove with suitable evasions so as to eliminate variations in section in arrival.
 11. Method for reducing the section and sizing of rolling mill products for wire rod according to claim 10, characterised in that it foresees a step of feeding the product to a second subsequent stand (S2) with oval groove such as to generate an oval, of constant width and thickness along the entire rod.
 12. Method for reducing the section and sizing of rolling mill products for wire rod according to claim 11, characterised in that it foresees a step of feeding the product to a third subsequent stand (S3) with round groove that produces a finished round stock on the height of the profile.
 13. Method for reducing the section and sizing of rolling mill products for wire rod according to claim 12, characterised in that it foresees a step of feeding the product to a fourth stand (S4) following the third stand (S3) and having rolling rolls (R4) rotated by 90° with respect to the corresponding rolling rolls (R3) of the third stand (S3) to take care of eliminating the variation in width of the round stock coming out from the previous third stand (S3) and to thus obtain a product with narrow tolerances. 